Canadian deathcore giants Despised Icon have unleashed their long-awaited seventh studio album, Shadow Work, out now through Nuclear Blast Records. The Montreal band, revered for pioneering the deathcore sound in the early 2000s, delivers what may be their most refined and punishing release yet-an album balancing blistering speed, devastating grooves, and moments of melodic decay.
Shadow Work is a deep, visceral dive into personal reckoning and psychological warfare. Its title track, ‘Shadow Work’, sets the tone for the record-a furious yet introspective exploration of trauma and transformation. Frontmen Alex Erian and Steve Marois trade their signature dual vocals across a wall of blast beats from drummer Alex “Grind” Pelletier, locking the band’s trademark brutality into a sharper, more emotionally charged focus.
Produced by Erian and guitarist Eric Jarrin, and mixed and mastered by Christian Donaldson (Cryptopsy, Shadow Of Intent, Signs Of The Swarm), Shadow Work continues Despised Icon’s legacy of sonic precision and extreme energy. The album artwork, created by Eliran Kantor-whose credits include Hatebreed, Thy Art Is Murder and Cavalera-complements the record’s themes of self-destruction and rebirth.
Despised Icon formed in Montreal, Quebec, in 2002, emerging as one of the most technically gifted and ferocious acts of their time. With their early releases Consumed By Your Poison (2002) and The Healing Process (2005), they helped forge a path for deathcore-a fusion of death metal’s intensity and hardcore’s raw aggression.
Their third record, The Ills Of Modern Man (2007), was a critical milestone that solidified their reputation for speed, precision and groove, followed by Day Of Mourning (2009), which broke into the Billboard 200. But in 2010, after years of near-constant touring with acts like Behemoth, The Black Dahlia Murder, and Hatebreed, the band disbanded to focus on family and other careers.
The break didn’t last. By 2014, Despised Icon were back for reunion shows, officially reforming in 2016 with their comeback album Beast, a sonic sledgehammer that reasserted their dominance. Purgatory followed in 2019, expanding their sound with a more emotional undercurrent.
Now, Shadow Work pushes that evolution further. While still devastatingly heavy, it also finds moments of reflection-a mirror of the band’s maturity and the darker corners of the human psyche. The record doesn’t just pummel-it confronts.
“Shadow Work represents our collective process of facing the worst parts of ourselves,” said frontman Alex Erian in a statement. “It’s about acceptance, healing and using music to channel pain into something constructive.”
Despised Icon’s lineup remains solid and battle-hardened:
Alex Erian (vocals), Steve Marois (vocals), Eric Jarrin (guitars), Ben Landreville (guitars), Sébastien Piché (bass), and Alex “Grind” Pelletier (drums).
Shadow Work Tracklisting:
Shadow Work
Over My Dead Body
Death Of An Artist
Corpse Pose
The Apparition
Reaper
In Memoriam
Omen Of Misfortune
Obsessive Compulsive Disaster
ContreCoeur
Fallen Ones
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